Labour will today call on Durham County Council to take a lead in addressing child hunger.
Coun Angela Surtees, Labour Communities and Inclusion lead, tabled a Full Council motion to write to the Government to ensure youngsters receive nutritious, healthy meals at school.
Cllr Surtees, who has led the county fight to address food poverty, says it is incumbent on the Tory-led Coalition running the council to ensure that every child in the county has access to at least one square meal a day.
“What is more important than ensuring our children don’t go hungry?”
said Cllr Surtees.
“In these strange and uncertain times, thousands of families in County Durham are now dependent on foodbanks and can no longer afford to heat their homes. The least we can do as a responsible, caring council is write to the Government and demand it ensures young people receive a free meal when at school.
“This Council must stop kowtowing to this chaotic Government – that felt it was appropriate to shut down for months during its leadership campaign – and call on it deliver more support for our children.”
The motion will be seconded by Cllr Olwyn Gunn, Labour lead for Education, who said:
“The Scottish Government has led the way on this issue and Wales is committed to following their lead. All children in the UK deserve to have a nutritious hot meal at lunchtime and that’s why we are calling on all Durham County councillors to back this motion.
“Children cannot learn if they are hungry, and they certainly cannot thrive. If education is lost children’s future opportunities are seriously damaged. We’re asking the Government to help. A hot meal at lunchtime isn’t much to ask for, is it?”
The Motion – This council agrees that all our primary school children in County Durham should have access to nutritious and balanced free school meals and will write to the Government to urge them to extend free school meal provision to every primary school child in England.